US / THEM: January 2026

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

GRAN MORENO share "Aztlan" single from forthcoming full length debut, Austin/Mexico City sibling duo mix pop hooks and heavy psych-blues

“Gran Moreno continue bridging the gaps between psychedelia and mass audiences… This track operates with two sides of the storytelling coin, one operating with pop sensibility and hooks, while the other toys with smoky psychedelia and bombast.” — Austin Town Hall

“I’m holding a place in my notes for best debut albums of 2026 for El Sol… They have the energy of a young outfit and the self-awareness to know what they’re about in terms of songwriting.” — The Obelisk

"Heavy guitars and a pounding drum beat give way to Black Sabbath-level sinister vocals to make for a song that rages and crashes like the swells of a heavy ocean storm." -- Glide Magazine

Austin duo Gran Moreno share the final single, "Aztlan" from their forthcoming debut studio album El Sol today on all platforms. The song launched earlier via New Noise Magazine HERE. Hear and share "Aztlan" + 3 previous singles on all DSPs HERE.

The duo play a special hometown album release party in Austin on January 18th at The 13th Floor. Tickets are available HERE.

Gran Moreno emerges as one of the most captivating voices in the new wave of psychedelic rock. With a sound rooted in analog warmth and expansive textures, the Austin-based band crafts songs that feel like sonic mirages — equal parts groove, grit, and atmosphere. Their music lives at the intersection of distortion and introspection, where hypnotic riffs, heavy rhythms, and emotionally charged melodies build immersive landscapes that demand to be felt as much as heard.

At the core of Gran Moreno is a deep commitment to storytelling through sound. Their upcoming album is a conceptual two-part release: Side A: El Sol and Side B: La Luna. Each side represents a different emotional plane — El Sol radiates urgency, energy, and clarity, while La Luna leans into shadow, mystery, and reflection. The first release, El Sol, captures the band at full intensity, delivering a vivid, unfiltered introduction to their evolving identity.

On stage, Gran Moreno transforms their sound into a full-body experience. Their live shows blend sonic power with visual depth, pulling audiences into a shared trance that feels both personal and communal. As they continue to shape their universe with bold creativity and a fierce independent spirit, Gran Moreno isn’t just making music — they’re building a world of their own.

El Sol will be available on LP and download on January 16th, 2026. Pre-orders are available HERE.

GRAN MORENO - LIVE 2026

01/18 Austin, TX - The 13th Floor - album release party

Artist: Gran Moreno

Album: El Sol

Label: Self-released

Release Date: January 16, 2026

01. Las Montañas

02. Aztlan

03. Huracan

04. Temple of Fire

05. La Mentira

06. Oaxaca - Please Don't Cry

07. Hikuri

08. California Blues

On The Web:

instagram.com/granmorenomusic

granmoreno.bandcamp.com

Friday, January 2, 2026

Bronco Forte share 1st single from upcoming album (All Hail the Yeti, Batillus members)

"A feeling of craft that underscores everything they do." -- The Obelisk

Los Angeles quartet Bronco Forte share the lead single from their forthcoming full length debut LP Lightning Scars today. An early listen and review launched previously via The Obelisk HERE. The single is now available on all DSPs HERE.

After so many iterations of heavy, desert-inspired doom rock over past decades, it seems the essence of purely driving riffs, earworm harmonies and strong songwriting that defined a genre has been forsaken. Bronco Forte are a return to the stark blast that made bands like Kyuss, Alice In Chains and Soundgarden legends.

After years of creative toil and preparation, Los Angeles quartet Bronco Forte is stepping into the spotlight as a fully-formed heavy rock phenomenon, with roots in the classic heavy music of the 1970s, seasoned with a deeply modern sensibility and sonic approach. The songs on their debut full-length album, Lightning Scars, chronicle the uncertain lives of ordinary people in the cities and wildernesses of California and beyond, as the characters they depict strive to maintain their integrity in the face of a rapidly-changing world.

The band’s lyrics balance literary style and kitchen-sink realism. Their riffs are deep and dirty, conjuring up the kinds of swinging grooves that cause involuntary head-nodding. The song structures are clever without being cluttered, and the band’s judicious use of vocal harmonies brings a powerful pop sweetness that cuts like a ray of light through the deep swampy stomp of their songs. It all adds up to a fresh yet familiar take on hard rock for a new era, as they draw inspiration and energy from their musical ancestors while casting aside the weary genre cliches of the past.

On Lightning Scars, guitarist and vocalist Chris Klepac’s focused songwriting and poignant lyrics meld seamlessly with guitarist Sako Injaian’s (All Hail the Yeti) energetic riffs to create a sonic tapestry that is somehow as catchy as it is heavy. Together, bassist Jen Glomboski (White Forest) and drummer Geoff Summers (Batillus, A Storm of Light) lay down a rhythmic foundation that is as solid and unwavering as the endless expanses of concrete and asphalt that blanket the band’s home of southern California.

Lightning Scars was tracked and mixed by engineer Kevin McCombs (Linkin Park, Story of the Year) at legendary North Hollywood studio The Steakhouse – the same studio where Queens of the Stone Age recorded Era Vulgaris. From there, the band took the audio to heavy rock mastering wizard Nick Townsend (Alice in Chains, Frankie and the Witch Fingers), who cut the resulting album to lacquer on his own personal lathe. Album art from Kevin “fetusK” Bernier (Prosthetic Records, Intronaut) completes the package.

Lightning Scars will be available on LP, CD and download on April 3rd, 2026. Pre-orders are available HERE.